Comparison: Honor 9N vs Asus ZenFone Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 vs Moto G6 Play

Huawei’s sub brand Honor has just launched it brand new Honor 9N budget smartphone at it’s quite the stunner at Rs 11,999. The device surely looks good with its shiny glass back and will definitely appeal to younger audiences looking for something flashy. The coloured plastic frame also makes it lighter than its identical twin sibling, the Huawei P20 Lite, which sells for almost double the price, despite having similar hardware inside.Yes, the Honor 9N does look like doppelganger of the Huawei P20 Lite. It’s hard to tell between the two smartphones until you look at the logo on the bottom chin, below the 19:9 display. That 19:9 aspect ratio 5.84-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display is covered with 2.5 D glass just like on the P20 Lite.[caption id="attachment_4805581" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Honor 9N looks almost identical to the Huawei P20 Lite. Image: tech2/Shomik Sen Bhattacharjee[/caption]Inside, there’s Honor and Huawei’s tried and tested HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC that is coupled with 3 GB RAM and comes with 32 GB internal storage (expandable up to 256 GB using a hybrid SIM slot). Other options include a 4 GB RAM + 64 GB model and a 4 GB RAM + 128 GB model.As for the cameras there’s a 13 MP + 2 MP setup along with an LED flash. The front-facing camera features a 16 MP sensor that sits alongside the receiver speaker and the ambient light sensor all packed tightly inside that display notch.As of today, the Honor 9N is the only smartphone in the budget range to feature a display notch with a 19:9 aspect ratio display (until Xiaomi announces the Mi A2 Lite); if you are still into display notches that is.So how does the gorgeous Honor 9N fair against its competitors in the budget smartphone segment? Let’s find out!

Smartphone	Huawei Honor 9N	ASUS Zenfone Max Pro	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5	Moto G6 Play
Display Size (inch)	5.8	5.99	5.9	5.7
Resolution (pixels)	1,080 x 2,160	2,160 x 1,080	2,160 x 1,080	1,440 x 720
Pixel Density (PPI)	428	402	403	282
Display Type	IPS LCD	IPS LCD	IPS LCD	IPS LCD
Dimensions(mm)	149.2x71.8x7.7	159 x 76 x 8.5	158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05	154.4 x 72.2 x 9
Weight (gm)	152	-	180	175
Dual SIM	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
SIM Type	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM
Connectivity Types	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / VoLTE	GSM / WCDMA / LTE
Processor	HiSilicon Kirin 659	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625	Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
CPU Cores	Octa-core	Octa-core	Octa-core	Octa-core
CPU Clock Speed (GHz)	4 Cortex-A53 @ 2.36 GHz & 4 Cortex-A53 @ 1.7 GHz	8xQualcomm Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz	8 Cortex A53 @ 2.0 GHz	8x Cortex-A53 @ 1.4 Ghz
GPU	Mali-T830MP2	Adreno 509	Adreno 506	Adreno 505
RAM	3GB, 4GB	3, 4, 6 GB	3,4 GB	3 GB
Ruggedness	–	–	–	–
On-Board Memory	32, 64, 128 GB	32, 64 GB	64 GB	32 GB
Expandable Memory	Yes, up to 256 GB	Yes, up to 2 TB	Yes, upto 256 GB	Yes, upto 256 GB
Sensors	Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass	Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass	Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass	Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity
Primary Camera	13 MP and 2 MP	13 MP and 5 MP	12MP, f/2.2	13 MP f/2.0
Optical Image Stabilization	No	No	No	No
Camera Array	Dual Camera	Dual Camera	Single Camera	Dual Camera
Autofocus System	Phase detection	Phase detection autofocus	Phase detection	Phase detection autofocus
Secondary Camera	16 MP	8 MP	5 MP, f/2.0	8 MP
Video Capture	1080p	1080p@30fps	1080p	1080p
Flash	LED	LED	Dual-LED	LED
OS Version	EMUI 8.1 Android 8.0 Oreo	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 7.1.1 Nougat-based MIUI 9.2	Android 8.0 Oreo
AI (Smart Assistant)	Google Assistant	Google Assistant	Google Assistant	Google Assistant
GPS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth	v4.2, A2DP, LE	v4.2, A2DP, LE	v4.2, A2DP, LE	4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR
NFC	No	No	No	No
Infrared	No	No	Yes	No
Fingerprint Scanner	Yes, Rear button	Yes, Rear button	Yes, Rear button	Yes, rear
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Radio	Yes, FM Radio	Yes, FM Radio	Yes, FM Radio	Yes
USB Type	microUSB v2.0	microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go	microUSB v2.0	micro USB 2.0
USB Standard	USB 2.0	USB v2.0	USB v2.0	USB v2.0
Battery (mAh)	3,000	5,000	4,000	4,000
Fast charging	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colors	Midnight Black, Sapphire Blue, Lavender Purple, Robin Egg Blue	Deepsea Black, Grey	Black, Gold, Rose Gold, Blue	Indigo, Gold
Prices in India	Starting at Rs 11,999	Starting at Rs 10,999	Starting Rs 9,999	Starting at Rs 11,999

It’s easy to point out going purely by the specifications on paper, despite being a looker does lose out in some areas, mainly against the Asus ZenFone Pro M1.Having used the Kirin 659 in the (Honor 7X, Honor 9i, Huawei P20 Lite and Honor 9 Lite) it’s easy to conclude that the SoC is not as good or as capable as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636.The same can said about the 13 MP + 2 MP camera setup where the ZenFone offers a bit more with a 13 MP + 5 MP camera.Next up is the expandable storage, where the ZenFone offers 2 TB of expandable storage as opposed to the 256 GB offered on the 9N.Then there’s software. Asus offers an almost stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, with no messy skinning. It’s indeed a poor man’s Pixel.[caption id="attachment_4463773" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The ZenFone Max Pro. Image: tech2/ Shomik Sen Bhattacharjee[/caption]Lastly, there’s that gigantic 5,000 mAh battery that trumps the Honor 9N’s 3,000 mAh unit, which will easily the ZenFone get better results when it comes to battery life.Oh and did I mention that the ZenFone with all of its additions (over the Honor 9N) with sells for Rs 1,000 less?But the Honor 9N has one detail going for it and that’s the design. It’s made of plastic and glass (vs plastic and metal on the ZenFone), but it’s easy to conclude that 9N is a stunning smartphone in its class when it comes to design.The Asus and the Redmi Note 5 may be practical (and a bit chubby) but it’s no match for the slim profile of the Honor 9N.Overall, the Asus ZenFone Pro M1 still takes the crown here, but if you are looking for the something slim and power and battery life don’t really matter, then the Honor 9N will get your attention with a base price starting at Rs 11,999.You can read our first impressions of the just launched Honor 9N here.